9i A SEARCH IN SECRET EGYPT
souls of animals, because they are of quite a different character. Some have almost the intelligence of a clever man, others are saintly in goodness, while many others exist who are truly *of their "father the devil/ In fact, the inhabitants of the spirit world may be divided into three chief classes: the genii, the humans and the angels. The angels are mostly good and have never lived on earth. The genii are good or evil and likewise have never lived on earth. The humans, of course, are those men and women who have lived on earth and passed out of their bodies after death.
"Know, too, that just as animals are often made to serve man on earth, just as the dog, the horse and the camel are brought to subserve his will, so there are certain kinds of genii which can be made to serve him, whether in the invisible or visible worlds. It is, of course, only certain orders of these genii which can be rendered submissive to the commands of a human master. The magic of ancient times was mostly—as is even that of the few real magicians who exist to-day—a knowledge of how to obtain the service of these genii. In short, it was a form of spiritualism/3
v'What methods are used to secure this control?" "First, it is necessary to learn their names before you can command them. Then a charm must be written on paper, containing the name of the genie, a certain passage from the Quran^ an arrangement of numbers inside a diagram—usually a double square but sometimes a triangle. Thirdly, the aid of burning incense and perfumes, varied in composition according to the kind of genie you are invoking, must be brought in. Fourthly, certain invocations, or 'words of power/ must be pronounced. Lastly, there is the power acquired by initiation through one's own teacher." He paused for a minute, and then continued.
"But to learn this mastership demands a hard and dangerous apprenticeship. Magic always was and ever must be an art for the few. I may tell you our beliefs, in so far as I am doing now, but to reveal the practical secrets of real value is something I have pledged myself to my own teacher never to do except to an accepted pupil of many years' pupilship. It would be a bad thing for mankind if our secrets were made known to all, for then evil men could use them to injure others for their own ends, whilst we ourselves would lose the position of power we have always enjoyed. Let me tell you, in fact, that so far I have